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(No Model.) a sheets-sheet 1.

E. DAVIS.

ELECTRIC SIGNAL 0R ALARM.

Patented July 24, 1888.

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MTA/55555- NVE/wm W7@ fig? (No Model.) l 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

E. DAVIS.

ELECTRIC SIGNAL OR ALARM.

N0. 386,772. Patentedfuly 24, 1888.

I Hmmm j (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

E. DAVIS.

ELECTRIC SIGNAL 0R ALARM.

No. 386,772. Patented July 24, 1888.

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UNITED STATES Aram Ormes.

EDWARD DAVIS; OF CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE HALF TO E. B.VELOH, OF SAME PLACE.

ELECTRIC SIGNAL OR ALARM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 386,772, dated July 24,1888.

Application filed May 13, 1867. Serial No. 238.094. No model.)

To all whom, t may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD DAVIs,of Oambridge, in the county ofMiddlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Electric Signals and Alarms, of which thefollowing is aspeciiication.

Myinvention relates to electric signaling ap paratus, and particularlyto contrivances of that kind designed for use in police streetsignal-boxes and in similar places for the pur` pose of giving signalsor alarms.

It is the object of my invention to provide an apparatus which shall becapable of giving certain common signals or alarms-such as a signalindicating the number of the box in which the operator may be, callingan ambulance, giving an alarm of fire, calling to the telephone, Src-andalso an individual or particular signal which shall indicate theparticular officer, watchman, or person making the signal.

My invention involves the employment of a telegraph-register-that is, auinstrument capable of recording signs or marks made by the making andbreaking of an electric circuit-and a clock mechanism, which may be setin operation and automatically effect the giving of a predeterminedsignal or alarm.

My improvements reside in the construction of thetransmitting-instrument,whereby I am enabled to employ keys orsimilardevices of di'erent form or character,each of Which,when used to set inoperation the clock mechanism, will give and cause thereceivirig-instrument to record a different signal.

Iwill new proceed to describe my invention, so that others skilled inthe art may be able to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon,the same letters indicating the same parts wherever they occur.

Of Vthe drawings, Figure l represents a rear elevation of asignal-transmitting apparatus embodying my invention, parts of thesupportingframe being pictured as broken out. Fig. 2 is a rear elevationof the parts attached directly to the base-plate, the clock mechanismproper being removed. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of thedevice completeas portrayed in Fig. l, a portion of one of the parts being representedas broken away. Fig. 3 is a detail hereinafter referred to. Fig. 4 is atop plan view of the pedals or levers for operating the special signalor pattern slides. Fig. 5 is a View of a key used in connection with myimprovements and hereinafter referred to.

As the receiving instrument constitutes no part of myimprovements, it isnotherein represented, and may be of any suitable or known construction,supposed, for convenience of the present description, to be a Morseinstrument adapted to record a telegraph alphabet of dots and dashesmade by the making and breaking of an electric circuit, my inventionhaving to do alone with the last-mentioned function of a signalingapparatus.

In the drawings, A represents the front or base plate, of any suitablematerial.

B indicates the center plate, supported on posts or pillars C, of hardor vulcanized rubber or otherinsulating material; and D is the back orrear plate, between which and the eentcr plate, B, the time mechanismissupported, consisting of a mainspring, E, wound on the barrelF,secured to the main arbor G,to which is also secured the toothed wheelH, engaging with a pinion, I, attached to or forming an in tegral partof center arbor, J, with which is connected an escapcment mechanism ofcommon construction, consisting of a toothed wheel, K, on center arbor,J, an escapementlever, L, pivoted to the center plate and engaging saidtoothed wheel K, and a pendulum, M, attached to the fulcrum or pivot ofthe escapement-lever.

N represents a lever, pivoted at O to the rear face of center plate, B,and resting at its free end on a pin or stud, P, upon which it isnormally held by a light spring, Q. Said lever N is provided, on therear side toward its inner end, witha lug or offset, It, which lugisadapted, in the normal position of the lever, to engage aforwardly-projecting pin, V, on toothed wheel K, and stop the rotationof said wheel, as seen in Fig. 3a.

S represents a ratchet-wheel secured to the inner end of main arbor G,the teeth of which ratchet-wheel are engaged by a pawl or lever, T,which, when lifted to turn the ratchetwheel the distance of one tooth,will he brought IOC) into contact with the lower end of a pin, U,

projecting down from the inner end of lever,

N, and raise said lever, so as to permit pin V to escape from lug oroffset R, and allow center arbor, J, to make one complete rotation, whenpin V will again come in contact with lug R, and thus stop the operationof the time mechanism.

The turning of ratchet-wheel S the extent of one tooth is designed to besufficient to wind up mainspring E far enough to effect one completerotation of center arbor, J.

W is a holdingpawl for preventing the backward turning of ratchet-wheelS and main arbor G.

a represents a disk of hard or vulcanized rubber or other suitablenon-conducting material, which disk is superincumbent on another disk ofmetal of good conducting properties, which latter disk is supported onposts b b, of material similar to the last-mentioned disk, which postsare attached to though insulated from the front plate, A. Thelastmentioned disk is provided with a rim, c, extending up around theperiphery of the disk a, which rim is notched at intervals, as indicatedat d d, Figs. 2 and 3. The forward end of center arbor, J, rests upondisk a, and may have a journal-bearing in the same, so that rim c, itsdisk, and posts b b will be completely insulated from other parts of thedevice. The purpose of the disk a is to insulate the center arbor andits adjuncts from the metal disk or part on which the disk rests.

To the forward end of center arbor, J, is secured an arm, e, whichextends out over rim c, so as to not directly be brought in contacttherewith as the center arbor is rotated. Said arm is provided with alaterally-projecting spring contact-iinger, f, resting lightly at itsfree end on the rear edge of rim c, so that if one pole of an electriccircuit were connected with posts b b or rim c, as represented by theline-in 7 wire L, and the other with parts of the device in electricalcommunication with center arbor, J, and its attached arm e, asrepresented bythe line-out7 wire L, when said center arbor is rotatedonce upon its axis the circuit would be made and broken by the iinger fand notches in iiange c five times at the point g and four times at thepoint h, with a short brokeninterval at the point, thus causing thereceiving-instrument to record, say, ive dots, a space, and four dots,indicating iifty-four as the number or common signal of the box.

It now only remains for me to explain how special or individual signalsmay be given, in addition to this common signal, by the same device.

Suitably supported at their upper and lower ends in comb-bars j j',insulated from front plate, A, are any suitable number of slidebars 7c.In the present instance I have shown iive such bars 5 but in practice Ipropose, ordinarily, to use a greater number. Said slidebars k areprovided at their upper ends with ,ing-teeth/Z around rim c.

small blocks or keys or teeth Z, of any suitable insulating material,which blocks are adapted, when the slide-bars are raised, to be broughtinjuxtaposition to rim c and stand out slightly beyond the rear edgethereof, so that the free end of contact-lingerf, when the latter iscarried around by arm e and comes in contact with any of the blocks Z,will be raised off of rim c, and so break the circuit the same as whenthe said finger fell in the notches of the rim at the points g and h, ashereinbefore explained. It is by the raising and releasing of the slides7c, so as to form different combinations of the blocks or false teeth Zaround rim c, that I am enabled to make the contrivance capable ofgiving the special or individual signals mentioned.

mindicates an inverted-U-shaped arm or yoke, pivoted at its ends, as atm', to the sides or ends of comb-barj, and adapted at its upper end, asat a, to rest against the rear edge or face of slide-bars k, whichlatter devices are notched, as represented at o o. Cross bar or part nof yoke m is held against the rear edge ot' slide-bars k by means ofspringsp, attached at their lower ends to a bail-wire, q, secured to andextending outwardly from yoke m, and at their upper ends to slide-barsZa, there being one such spring to each slidebar. If now any slide-bar kshould be raised so as to bring its block or false tooth Z intojuxtaposition with rim c, cross-bar n would ride from notch o over toothr and drop into notch o, holding such slide-bar locked in raisedpositionby the engagement of tooth r with cross-bar n until trip-finger s2,extending downward or outward from the end of arm e, shall be brought incontact with finger n', extending up from crossbarnof yoke m, and pressthe upper end of said yoke outward, disengaging cross-bar n from toothfr, and permitting springp to draw the slide-bar down to its normalposition.

Various means may be provided for raising different slide-bars la forthe purpose of form-i ing various combinations of the false insulat- Inthe present instance I have shown two levers, s s', each pivoted at oneend to the front plate, A, and resting at their free ends on dogs t,secured to crank pins or studs t', adapted to turn in bearings in thefront plate, and having cranks t2 (shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2)secured to their forward ends, whereby said crank pins or studs may berocked in the direction of the arrows, Fig. 2, and so cause dogs t tooperate on levers s s and raise the free ends of said levers, asrepresented by the dotted lines rei lating to lever s in Fig. 2.

Levers s and sareprovided with pins u, extending into elongated notcheso, formed in the rear edges of slide-bars k, so that as lever s or s israised pins u of such' lever will engage such slide-bars as may havepins u extending into notches v of the same and raise such slidebars andtheir attached false teeth Z, with the result before explained.

It will be noticed that pawl or lever T is con-- hected by means of aninsulating block or link, T', with one of the slide-bars 7i', and thatthis slide-bar is adapted to be raised each time that the instrument isoperated to give an alarm or signal, in order to trip lever N throughthe medium of lever T, as before explained. Though I have shown theslide-bar to which le- -ver T is pivoted as provided with a falseinsulating-key, Z, it need not be so equipped, but be without any meansfor affecting the electric circuit through the medium of springtngerf.

Supposing, now, that the various parts are in their normal position,which is that represented in Fig. 1, and that an officer or watchmandesires to call to the telephone an attendant at headquarters,andthatlevers is designed to make the telephone-call, said lever will beraised,as represented in dotted lines in Fig. 2, raising certain of theslide-bars and their Afalse keys, as represented, for example, in saidligure, tripping lever N and setting the devicein operation, so thatspringlinger f, in passing over keys Z, will first make and break theeircuit, so as to record a telephonecall at thereceiving-instrument, andthen, in passing over notches or teeth Z d, will, by the making andbreaking ofthe circuit, record the number of the box from which thesignal is given. Lever s being adapted to raise different slidebars andform a different combination of false keys Z around rim c, saidlast-mentioned lever `may be operated to call,for instance,an ambulanceand give the number ofthe box, and so as many additional levers may beprovided for other common calls as may be desired, or as the capacity ofthe contrivance may admit.

Each slide-bar is adapted to rest at its lower end on a pin orprojection, ad, of apedal-lever, \V,pivoted at Q02 to the front plateprovided with a key-hole, x, and other means to receive a key, y, whichmay be inserted into the keyhole and turned so that its wardsz willengage and raise certain pedal-levers and the slidebars resting thereon,and in this way form still differentcombinations ofthei'alsekeysZaronndrin c, and so set the device in operation and give a signalcorresponding to the structure of the particular key employed,itbeingseen that keys can readily be formed to give a large number of differentsignals. This provision for operating the slide-bars by means of a keyto give a signal is designed to enable special or particular signals tobe given by an individual in possession of a key of particularstructural character, so that, for example, a particular officer orwatchman can in his rounds operate the different signals to giveassurance that that particular person is or has been at a particularbox, or that a particular person is at a particular boX and is in want of a particular thing, as an ambulance or the presence ofthe attendant atheadquarters atthc telephone, or the like.

The invention may also be employed as a simple telephone call, since thecommon signal can be employed to signal central office 7 and the specialsignal to give the number of the telephone caller.

It is obvious that by increasing the number of slide-bars It' and theirinsulating-keys Z a practically endless number of combinations of suchkeys about rim c may be formed and the usefulness of the deviceextended.

The operation of the invention as a whole has been so fully explained inthe description ofthe construction, relationship, and function of theseveral groups of devices as to make further explanation unnecessary.

lThe term circuit making and closing or breaking devices or mechanism,as herein employed, is meant to identify such means as springcontact-finger f, or equivalent means, and means for actuating the same.

'lhough I have set forth the particular form and arrangement of theparts comprising the invention, as herein represented, it is obviousthat these may be varied without departing from the nature or spirit ofthe invention.

The apparatus may be used for telephone or other lines to indicatewhether the line is or is not in use. To this end the disk c may beconnected to line-in L, and the contact-arm to line-out L", as shown inFig. 3, so that when even the springf is in contact with the disk c thecircuit will be closed and a bell, B, will be sounded.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim isl. In an electricalsignaling apparatus, the combination, with the conducting strip, themovable contactarm, one or more projections adapted to be moved intoposition to cause changes in the relation of the contacts, a catch forholding the projections in position during the passage of the movablecontact-arm over them, and a projection connected to the mov ablecontact-arm, adapted to co-operate with and move the catch out ofengagement with the projections when the contactarm has passed by them,substantially as described.

2. In an electrical signaling apparatus, the combnation,with anelectrical contact having a determinate signal indicated thereon,atraveling contact,and a motor for moving it over the irst-mentionedcontact, of one or more teeth or projections arranged to be projected inthe path ofthe traveling contact, a catch for holding said teeth inprojected position, and connections between said catch and motor,wherebythe former will be operated by the latter and the teeth or any of themallowed to return to normal position after the signal has beentransmitted, substantially as described.

3. In an electrical signaling apparatus, the combination, with acircuit-breaker arranged to transmit a determinate signal, and a motorfor operating the same, of one or more teeth or projections arranged tocooperate with the circuitbreaker to vary the signal sent, a catch forholding said teeth in operative position, and connections between saidteeth and the motor for releasing the latter when the former are placedin operative position, and other IOO IIO

connections between said catch and motor for allowing the return of theteeth to normal position after the transmission of the signal,substantially as described.

4. In an electrical signaling device, the combination, with the circuitmaking and breaking contacts arranged for sending a determinatesignal,of one or more teeth or blocks arranged to co-operate With the circuitmak ing and breaking contacts to vary the signal sent, and a removablekey having portions of its operating-surface arranged to operate one ormore of said teet-h, so as to vary the normal signal to correspond withthe surface of the key employed, substantially as described.

5. In an electrical signaling apparatus, the combination, With thecircuit making and breaking contacts, of a series of slide-bars providedwith insulating teeth Z, severally adjustable Within the path ofmovement ot the contacts, so as to vary the normal operation of thesame, and a key, y, for moving said bars to ad just the same,substantially as described.

6. In an electrical signaling apparatus, the combination, with astationary contact and a movable Contact arranged to transmitadeterminate signal, of a series of slide bars, k, provided with teethl, adapted to be adjusted Within the path of the movable contact,pedalievers w, provided with pins or projections w', and key y,substantially as described.

7. In an electrical signaling apparatus, the combination, with thestationary contact and the movable Contact arranged-to transmit adeterminate signal, of a series of slide-bars, 7c, having notches c, andprovided with teeth Z, adapted to be adjusted within the path of themovable contact, thelevers s s', provided with pins u, pedal w, providedWith pins or projections w', and key y, substantially as described.

8. In a signaling apparatus, the combination, with the circuitvaryingcontacts arranged to transmit a predetermined signal, of one or moreprojections arranged to operate upon the contacts to cause them to varythe signal from the normal, and a removable key for co-operating withthe said projections to place one or` more of them in position to varythe signal in accordance with the particular key employed, substantiallyas described.

9. In a signaling apparatus, the combination, with the circuitvaryingcontacts arranged to transmit a predetermined signal, of one or moreteeth or projections arranged to operate upon the contacts to cause themto vary the signal from the normal, a catch for holding said teeth inposition to cause this variance, and a removable key for co-operatingWith said projections to place one or more of them in position to varythe signal in accordance With the particular key employed, substantiallyas described.

10. In a signaling apparatus, the combination, with the circuit varyingcontacts arranged to transmit a predetermined signal and a motor, of oneor more teeth or projections arranged to operate upon the contacts tocause them to vary the signal from the normal when projected, a catchfor holding said teeth pro jected and a projection operated by the motorfor releasing said catch when the signal has been sent, and a removablekey forprojecting one or more of the teeth and thus varying the signalin accordance With the particular key employed, substantially asdescribed.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two suhscribing witnesses, this 4th day of May, A. D. 1887.

EDWARD DAVIS.

Witnesses:

C. F. BROWN, ARTHUR W. GRossLEY.

